Peach Drop

The Peach Drop is a New Year's Eve event held in Atlanta, Georgia. Traditionally held in Underground Atlanta, the event features the lowering of a large peach sculpture down a 138 feet (42 m) tower, symbolizing Georgia's identity as the "Peach State".

Peach Drop
Peach Drop tower in Underground Atlanta
GenreNew Year's Eve event
Date(s)December 31 – January 1
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Underground Atlanta, Woodruff Park (2018 only)
Inaugurated1989
Most recent2023
AttendanceAround 60,000 (annually)[1]
Organized byUnderground Atlanta
Websitehttps://peachdrop.com/

The event was held in Underground Atlanta from 1989 to 2017, and then moved to Woodruff Park for 2018 before returning to Underground Atlanta for 2019. The event was cancelled for 2020 due to the sale of Underground Atlanta and other logistical issues, as well as 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event successfully returned for 2023.

History

From 1989 through 2017, the event was held at Underground Atlanta. The tower from which the peach descends is located in Underground Atlanta and stands at 138 feet (42 m). The peach, constructed of fiberglass and foam, is 8 feet (2.4 m) tall and weighs approximately 800 pounds (360 kg).[2]

The Drop was moved to the Flatiron Building for the 2018 celebration with festivities held at Woodruff Park after Underground Atlanta was sold to a private developer.[3] For 2019, the event returned to Underground Atlanta.[4]

Hiatus

The 2020 Peach Drop was cancelled for in order to re-evaluate and expand the event. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms stated that the sale of Underground Atlanta complicated the event, and previous year's return for 2019 lacked "the thought and consideration and resources we should give an event."[5] The 2021 and 2022 Peach Drop events were cancelled for the second and third consecutive years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][7] However, the Peach Drop is scheduled to return to Underground Atlanta for 2023. [8]

See also

References
  1. Yu, Janice. "Atlanta New Year's Eve Peach Drop returns with Ashanti, Goodie Mob". Fox 5 Atlanta.
  2. Newmark, Avery. "5 flashback moments from Atlanta's Peach Drop". AJC. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  3. Stevens, Alexis. "Atlanta police ramp up security plans for new Peach Drop location". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2017-12-29.
  4. Raisa Habersham, J. D. Capelouto. "Peach Drop moving back to Underground Atlanta". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  5. Ho, Rodney. "No Peach Drop this year, breaking 30-year tradition". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  6. Murphy, Adam. "Coronavirus overshadows most New Year's Eve celebrations in the metro". CBS46 News Atlanta. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
  7. "Atlanta Peach Drop on New Year's Eve to be canceled, sources say". WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta. 2021-12-28. Retrieved 2021-12-28.
  8. "It's back! Peach Drop returning to Underground Atlanta after 3-year hiatus". WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta. 2022-11-09. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
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